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Nablus/PNN/ A group of settlers set fire at dawn Wednesday to a local house in Duma town south of Nablus belonging to Dawabsheh family.

Local sources told PNN that a group of settlers threw Molotov cocktails into the house which led to the outbreak of fire in the kitchen and bedroom. Fortunately, Mohamed Dawabsheh’s family managed to get out of the house in the right time.

Mohamed Dawabsheh’s the owner of burned house told PNN home , that he heard voices and movement out of the house at 2 o’clock in the morning, and seconds later heard the sound of something exploded and then began burning.

He added that the house burned down at dawn today fully and the family suffered suffocation as a result of smoke inhalation.

They were later taken to hospital suffering the effect of smoke inhalation. Mohamed Dawabsheh affirmed that he heard suspicious noises around the house before the incident. A slight explosion was then heard before the fire started, he continued.

Local activist Ghassan Daghlas affirmed that it is a deliberate settlers’ attack Palestinian civil defense managed to put down the fire that completely burned the kitchen and bedroom.

The incident came only few days before the anniversary of the settlers’ arson attack that targeted Saad Dawabsheh family during which a Palestinian toddler and his parents were burned to death, while the four-year-old Ahmed Dawabsheh, the elder son, is still receiving treatment after sustaining burns in 60 percent of his body.

United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Mr. Nickolay Mladenov said on the torching of a house in occupied West Bank :”I am concerned by reports of yet another arson attack on the home of the Dawabsha family last night in Duma in the occupied West Bank. If confirmed, this despicable act would be the third incident in this particular village in the last year.

In press statement sent to PNN Mladenov added :” Since the 31 July 2015 terrorist arson attack in which Jewish extremists torched the Dawabsha home, killing three family members and leaving four year-old Ahmed orphaned, indictments have been made, but the perpetrators of this terrible crime have yet to face justice.

I call upon the authorities to move swiftly in bringing the perpetrators of this terrible crime, as well as this latest incident, to justice.

I also urge Israel, as the occupying power, to ensure that vulnerable Palestinian communities in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, are protected in line with its obligations under international law.